Stocking top and method of knitting



lJuly 14, 1942. R, H. LAWSON 2,289,580

sTocxmG Tor AND METHOD oF KNITTING` Filed Maron '5, 1937 Patented July 14, 1942 @UNITED STATES PATENT] orrlcr.'4

' 7 azsasso s'roolrngo.` 'ror amn-:amori or Robert H. Lawson, Pawtucket, R. I., assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, B.. I., a corporation of Massachusetts application March 3, '1937, seria No. 128.195'

a claims. (ones-112) This case concerns a method of knitting stocking tops and the articleproduced. More particularly, the invention involves the construction of the beginning edge or selvage of the stocking top and thel manner of knitting the same to present a pleasing appearance, a fast edge against ravelling, and one which may be freely stretched but will have a suitable restraining effect in holding` the stocking on the wearers leg. A

In the figures of drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view showing a section of as it would appear theoretically;

Fig. 2 shows the top edge of that fabric very muchas it would appear after being knitted,` but of course,` to a scale greatly enlarged;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2, but showing a modified form of the invention. i

the fabric It is quite common practice to incorporate i rubber yarns in stocking tops to constitute a garter top and for the purpose of simulating a rib appearance. In many instances this rubber yarn is introduced at the beginning edge of the fabric and serves in the knitting of a selvage as well as imparting a resiliency to the fabric for the purpose of holdingl it on the wearers leg, to create a rib appearance and for preventing curling 4to a degree. Heretofore it has been known to incorporate this elastic thread in the beginning course in practically every loop thereof with a result that the edge has sometimes been exceedingly tight and restricted when compared to the remainder of the fabric wherein that elastic yarn is very often held at Wales spaced apart a few needles. In the present construction the beginning edge involves a construction wherein the rubber yarn is held in spaced wales but at the Sametime, an edge is formed which is absolutely fast against ravelling and which is pleasing in appearance. The selvage course or courses will not be tight or more restricted than the remainder of the stocking top in which the rubber is incorporated thereby having a more satisfactory feel as it is worn on the wearers leg.

Now referring to the Figs. 1 and 2, one form of the invention will be described wherein the elastic yarn is taken `on spaced needles, preferably every fourth needle in the rst course of knitting, then on'the second course a plainyarn will be taken on every other needle, these needles including the same needles which knitted the elastic yarn in the rst course. By plain yarn,

I mean any of the usual knitting yarns such as the rubber is cast of!V and, since it was not drawn through anything, will not assume the form of knitted loops although in the Fig. 1, it is shown beingdrawn into knitted loops merely for the purpose of showing the steps in the production of the stocking top. After drawing this second course the remainder of the stocking top is knitted of the plain yarn in any desired way, pref- Aerably knitting on all needles and incorporating the rubber yarn in spaced courses and in spaced wales throughout the remainder of the top-to constitute a garter top of some conventional form. Here the elastic is knitted in every fourth course andon every fourth needle although it may be incorporated according to different schemes and may be inlaid as on every other needle and in spaced courses. 'I'he elastic yarn is knitted under a sufficient. degree of tension depending upon the result desired, upon the type of elastic yarn, size, etc.

In Fig. 1, the first course of elastic is shown at l being knitted in wales 2, 3 and 4. The second course of plain yarn 5 is knitted in Wales 2, 3 and 4 and also wales 6 and 1, that is, the second courseis knitted on the same needles as knitted the first but on additional needles between those needles, this resulting in loops drawn on every other needle. Courses B and those continuing are knitted on all needles, and in spaced courses such as 9, the elastic yarn is again knitted as in wales 2, 3 and 4 being drawn into loops I'll which when the fabric is released will contract to distort the fabric and to simulateA a rib appearance. Since the rst course of rubber is knitted under the same degree of tension as courses 9, etc., and on the same needles, the rib appearance will be uniform from the very top edge throughout the entire stocking top.

In Fig. 2, this top edge of fabric is shown pretty much as it would appear when finished. The first course of rubber I will straighten out as it is4 retracted when tension isreleased and at the same time, will draw the second course 5 knitted on every other needle into the form shown. The loops drawn on needles 2, 3 and 4 will lie in front of the rubber while those drawn on needles 6 and 1 will lie behind it. These loops of the yarn 5 will be spread out or equalized in the spacing pretty much as shown in Fig. 2 and would not appear in the finished fabric as they are theoretically shown in-Flg. 1. Likewise there would be a spreading and a distortion of the loops in course 8. It will be evident from an inspection that this edge can not ravel, but that the elastic is rather freely held therein and the edge will not be unnecessarily tight or restricted so as to cause any discomfort to the wearer. The elastic yarn I is actually held at spaced wales only rather than being passed through all the loops of all the wales in the top as has been practiced heretofore.

Now referring to Figs. 3 and 4, I will describe a 'modiflcation wherein similar principles apply, but

wherein the actual construction varies slightly from the rst described. The selvage is formed in this instance by drawing the elastic yarn on every fourth needle in the rst course, then in the second course, drawing two plain yarns one -on every other needle (including those needles which function in the rst course)v and the other on every needle. At this second course the rubber is cast off just as it was in the first instance. Throughout the rest of the fabric the top will be knitted on all needles and may incorporatethe rubber yarn in any desired way.

In Fig. 3 the elastic yarn knitted at the rst course is shown at II and is knitted on needles I2, I3 and I4 while in the second course a plain yarn I is knitted on every needle while another plain yarn I6, herein shown 'shaded for purposesl of identification, is knitted on every other needle as on I2, I3 and I4 and the intermediate needles I1 and I8, and so on. Thus this plain yarn I6 will oat as shown at I9, 20, 2 I, 22, etc. Of course this showing in Fig. 3 is merely theoretical to illustrate what actually takes place in the process of knitting. The actual fabric when the rubber has contracted and has acted to redistribute the loops in course two, will appear very much as shown in Fig. 4. In that ligure the rubber II passes through in back of loops of the yarns I5 and I6 which were drawn by needles I2, I3 and Il and in front of all the other loops, that is, in front of those drawn by needles I'I and I8 as far as yarn IG is concerned, and those drawn by all intervening needles as far as yarn I5 is concerned. There is a redistribution of the yarn I6 verymuch as there was in the rst form with respect to yarn 5. This will be evident from an inspection of the shaded yarn I6. Fig. 4. The loops of the other yarn I5 are tied in and prevented from running by both yarns II and I E but the rubber yarn II is held quite` freely and only at every fourth Wale. The same advantage` apply in either instance.

In knitting either of these fabrics the machine will necessarily be equipped with needle selecting means capable of raising every fourth needle to take the rubber yarn in the rst course and in the second course raising those same needles, but

in addition thereto every second needle as at I and 1, Fig. 1, and I1 and I8, Fig. 3. In addition to this, to make the second form, the yarns I5, I6 will be taken by needles raised to a greate:l height than the others while the floats I9, 20, 2|, 22, etc., will pass behind the intervening needles which will take the yarns I5 but will avoid taking the yarn I 6 within the hooks. All this is clearly understood bythose skilled in the art and it is not considered necessary to make a showing of such knitting nor to describe the same in any detail in this case. An example is shown in United States Patent Number 1,922,977.

The invention has been described in more or less specific terms and as applied to one particular spacing of needles, or one particular set up, but the invention is not to be limited thereby except as by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A knitted stocking top having a selvage with an elastic yarn incorporated therein, said elastic yarn passing through loops of a plain yarn knitted at spaced wales only and through loops of another plain yarn knitted at all the wales, but said elastic yam not passing through all the loeps of said last mentioned yarn.

2. A method of knitting a selvage for a stocking top including the steps of knitting an elastic yarn innen-adjacent wales, then knitting a plain yarn in non-adjacent wales only and casting off the elastic yarn and thereafter knitting the remainder of the top Without skipping Wales.

3. A method of knitting a stocking top including the steps of forming a selvage by knitting an elastic yarn in every fourth wale of the top, then knitting a plain yarn in every second wale and casting off the elastic, and thereafter, knitting the plain yarn andlthe remainder of the top without skipping wales.

4. A method of knitting a stocking top including the steps of forming a beginning edge by knitting an elastic yarn in every fourth Wale, then knitting one plain yarn in every Wale and another plain yarn in alternate wales and casting oif the elastic yarn, and thereafter, knitting the remainder of the stocking top without skipping Wales.

5. The method of knitting a selvaged plain knit seamless stocking top which comprises, drawing elastic yarn into a loop at every lfourth Wale only on the rst round of knitting, drawing a yarn into loops in alternate wales only on the second round of knitting vwhile casting of! the elastic yarn drawn on said rst round, and continuing the knitting of said stocking top with an inelastic yarn in at least said alternate wales.

6. A knitted stocking top having a selvage in which' an initial course of inelastic yarn knitted in spaced wales only has threaded through sinker loops thereof throughout the entire extent of said course, an antiravel course comprisedentirely of elastic yarn.

'7. A knitted stockingtop having at its beginning edge a selvage including in combination a. knitted course having therein an inelastic yarn drawn into knitted stitches at spaced Wales only and an antiravel course threaded through said inelastic yarn-course, said antiravel course being comprised solely of elastic yarn.

8. A knitted stocking top having at its beginning edge a selvage including in combination a knitted course having therein an inelastic yarn drawn into a knitted stitch at each Wale and a second yarn drawn into knitted stitches at nonadjacent wales only, and an antiravel course threaded through said inelastic yarn course, said antiravel course being comprised solely of elastic yarn.

ROBERT H. LAWSON. 

